1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cookware and, more particularly, is concerned with an overflow pan assembly with a splashguard cap.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pans with lids or covers are typically employed on stoves to cook food and boil water for any number of uses. Liquid contained in pans frequently overflows due to inattention as the temperature of the liquid rises and as vapor pressure increases under the lids on the pans. Various pans with lids have been developed over the years toward resolving this and other problems. Representative examples of prior art pans with lids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 504,243 to Philippot, U.S. Pat. No. 1,461,366 to Mulford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,146 to Krafft, U.S. Pat. No. 1,810,860 to Tremblay, U.S. Pat. No. 2,127,988 to Tarrant, U.S. Pat. No. 2,385,594 to Witte, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,453 to Loyd et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,524 to Loyd et al., Danish Pat. No. 26,919 to Holm and German Pat. No. 696,673 to Boecker. While these prior art pans with lids appear to be satisfactory in use for the specific purposes for which they were designed, none of them seem to provide a comprehensive and effective solution to prevent liquid overflow.
Consequently, a need still exists for an assembly which provides an optimum solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.